Avoiding blood vessels during direct selective laser trabeculoplasty

Abstract

A system includes a radiation source and a controller. The controller is configured to designate, for irradiation, multiple target regions on an eye of a patient, and to perform an iterative process that includes, during each iteration of the process, acquiring an image of the eye, based on the image, calculating a location of a different respective one of the target regions, processing the image so as to identify any obstruction at the location, and provided no obstruction at the location is identified, causing the radiation source to irradiate the location. Other embodiments are also described.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a radiation source; and 
 a controller, configured to:
 designate, for irradiation, multiple target regions on an eye of a patient, and 
 perform an iterative process that includes, during each iteration of the process:
 acquiring an image of the eye, 
 based on the image, calculating a location of a different respective one of the target regions, 
 processing the image so as to identify any obstruction at the location, and 
 provided no obstruction at the location is identified, causing the radiation source to irradiate the location. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the process further includes, during at least one iteration of the process:
 by processing the image, identifying an obstruction at the location, and 
 in response to identifying the obstruction, refraining from causing the radiation source to irradiate the location. 
 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 2 , wherein refraining from causing the radiation source to irradiate the location includes causing the radiation source to irradiate another location instead of the location. 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 2 , wherein refraining from causing the radiation source to irradiate the location includes terminating the iteration without causing the radiation source to irradiate any portion of the eye during the iteration. 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the obstruction includes a blood vessel. 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the controller is configured to designate the multiple target regions for irradiation with respective amounts of energy, and 
 wherein the process further includes, during at least one iteration of the process:
 by processing the image, identifying an obstruction at the location, and 
 in response to identifying the obstruction, causing the radiation source to irradiate the location with another amount of energy that is less than the amount of energy designated for the target region. 
 
 
     
     
       7. A method, comprising:
 designating, for irradiation, multiple target regions on an eye of a patient; and 
 performing an iterative process that includes, during each iteration of the process:
 acquiring an image of the eye, 
 based on the image, calculating a location of a different respective one of the target regions, 
 processing the image so as to identify any obstruction at the location, and 
 provided no obstruction at the location is identified, causing a radiation source to irradiate the location. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the process further includes, during at least one iteration of the process:
 by processing the image, identifying an obstruction at the location, and 
 in response to identifying the obstruction, refraining from causing the radiation source to irradiate the location. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein refraining from causing the radiation source to irradiate the location includes causing the radiation source to irradiate another location instead of the location. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein refraining from causing the radiation source to irradiate the location includes terminating the iteration without causing the radiation source to irradiate any portion of the eye during the iteration. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the obstruction includes a blood vessel. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein designating the multiple target regions for irradiation comprises designating the multiple target regions for irradiation with respective amounts of energy, and 
 wherein the process further includes, during at least one iteration of the process:
 by processing the image, identifying an obstruction at the location, and 
 in response to identifying the obstruction, causing the radiation source to irradiate the location with another amount of energy that is less than the amount of energy designated for the target region.